Checking in with your College Student

Posted 12/11/2013 by Angelo M. Valente

The holiday season is upon us and thanks to the recent weather events, we may be treated to a white Christmas, just like the ones we used to know (Thanks, Bing!). With the happiness that is associated with this time of year, is the joy of having your college-aged child home for the holidays. It’s a wonderful opportunity to spend time with them once again before the spring semester kicks in, but this also an opportunity to check in with them about your concerns about drugs and alcohol.

But how much do you know about substance abuse in a college setting? You might know that is most likely happening at your child’s college, but if so, what’s the big deal? Surely substance abuse at the college level is a normal aspect of growing up and can’t truly affect your child’s studies or affect the rest of their life. Right?

Wrong.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey in conjunction with New Jersey Prevention Network (NJPN) launched an important resource for helping parents understand the dangers associated with substance abuse in college-aged kids. Parentchecknj.com features an online quiz that parents can take to test their knowledge about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse on a still developing brain. The website offers a wealth information that we sincerely hope will help clear up misconceptions and inspire discussion among parents and kids.

On average, the more drinks a college student consumes a week, the lower their GPA. “A” students consume up to 3.1 drinks per week and “D” & “F” students consume nearly 10 per week.

The human brain continues to develop until 25. Drug and alcohol consumption can stunt this development.

Alcohol related sexual assault cases are a serious problem among 18-24 year olds

Underage drinking costs New Jersey citizens up to $1.6 billion a year in medical expenses.

These facts and so many more can be found on Parentchecknj.com. Take the quiz and see where your knowledge stacks up. Then, use the opportunity of this holiday season to talk to your college student about the dangers of substance abuse and most importantly, let them know that you’ll always be there for them.